Dead Men Walking
by wolfissac
Summary: Summary: Sora and Riku find themselves in the thrust into the Apacalypse after the start of a seemingly normal day. After witnessing first hand the suicide of Professor Gast the pair runs into Will who helps them escape, but each of them carries a secret that could turn the others against them and resort to extreme measures to protect those secrets.
1. Outbreak

**Dead Men Walking Chapter 1:**

**Outbreak**

A/N: So been a long time since I've updated and partly that was because my laptop died on me, but also I decided to do a massive re-write (again) because the previous version was just a mess. In any case those of you who have read chapter 5 of the old version will have the basic gist of the story for quite a few chapters in the new version. There's a number of things that have been altered and added, so I hope you all like this one better.

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy or any characters used therein. The character Will does belong to me however.

Summary: It's the beginning of the Apocalypse. There's a zombie outbreak and Sora and Riku are forced into a situation they do not like at all. The group forms up and makes a plan to escape.

Warnings: Blood, Gore, Violence (duh), Sexual Situations, Sex (Possibly), Offensive Language, Nudity, Objectionable Political Views, Rape (Implied) and Dark Humor.

Pairings: Zack Fair x Aerith Gainsburg (I'm sure that's how you spell her name). That's it for chapter 1, I'll expand the list as the story progresses.

Special Thanks To: MeykoLove, VeniVediVeci, Forever-Yaoi-Fangirl, and XxLovelyxStitchesxX for your reviews of the previous version.

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A warm breeze flowed through silver locks of hair. Heavy panting reverberated through a slender, athletic body. Trees green and vibrant whipped by. The scent of grass filled flared nostrils. The sun was only halfway past the mountains to the East leaving the air below warmed but still tolerable. A heavy sheen of sweat clung to the slender body soaking the gray t-shirt and black shorts.

Riku was out for his usual morning run, 3 miles through the local park. It was his time to forget his troubles and be away from everyone else's. He had a slower than average pace today, 8 minute miles as opposed to 6. In truth he simply felt a tad lazy and didn't want to exert himself very much. Still, he passed other joggers by with hurried 'excuse me's and last second deviations into the grass to avoid getting sandwiched between joggers heading opposite directions.

'Lot of people out today.' The silverette thought to himself. He headed to the park entrance and stopped under the shade of a pine tree to stretch his legs. He received a number of seductive glaces from women as he did so. With un-abating lewdness he returned the glaces and smirks two fold. With a sigh he strode out of the park and onto the sidewalk.

"Frickin' traffic.' He grumbled internally as he darted across three lanes of traffic to make it to the opposite side whilst simultaneously nearly becoming a hood ornament. He wasn't angry though, in fact he was quite jovial. This morning had brought splendid news that he had been practically dying to hear. He hoped to tell Sora when he got home, surely the brunette would be shocked.

Rounding a corner he paced through the parking lot of a 7/11 and fought the nagging urge to race in and buy a slurpee. He rambled off nutritional facts about sugars, carbs and calories to deter himself and quickened his pace. Counting the blocks to himself he reached the appropriate number, four, and promptly turned left and again was a second from being a hood ornament. Striding passed the first two houses to his left Riku raced up the five stone stairs that to the house that he was renting.

It wasn't a big house, a simple one story two bedroom. True the kitchen and living room were both fairly large for a house this size it didn't offset the fact that he had to share a bathroom in his mind. Granted it could be much worse, he could have a much messier roommate than Sora, who simply forgot to clean up after himself from time to time, he wasn't intentionally a slob. That was part of the reason that he agreed to let the younger male stay with him.

"How's your project going?" Riku called as he entered the door of the pale green house. Distantly he heard a soft grumbling sound and he knew that Sora was having a hard time progressing. Chuckling to himself Riku closed the door behind him and took off his shirt. Wiping the sweat from his body he discarded the shirt in the laundry basket that sat next to the tan leather couch in the center of the living room.

"I'm going to take a shower. So, if you want after that we can go get something to eat." Riku tempted knowing that his friend couldn't refuse. As he waited for a moment he glanced around the room taking note of the lack of pictures and other personal effects, the tv was turned at an angle to face Sora's side of the couch more and he quickly strode and corrected that. Other than the couch, tv, a coffee table, reclining chair for company and several shelving units for games and movies, the room was absent of any personalization. Riku sighed lightly.

"So where we goin'?" Sora beamed. Riku was torn from his musings and turned to his right to see the smaller brunette practically bouncing in place. His hair was matted from being unwashed so the normally spiky hair he sported was limp. He had heavily bloodshot eyes and was standing in his boxers. Riku glanced over Sora's exposed tan skin, noticing a number of curious scars but didn't pay them much mind.

"I'm not sure. Don't matter to me. Come up with something. And get dressed would you?" Riku shrugged his shoulders as he sat on the couch and unlaced his shoes. His feet ached a bit but nothing he wasn't used to. Sora shot him a glance.

"What?" Riku asked slightly irritated. Sliding off his shorts he balled them up and tossed them in the laundry along with his shirt.

"Oh. I was just thinking how weird it is that you sound like an American already. You only got here six months ago." Sora smirked and headed down the short hallway to his room. Riku pursed his lips and thought a moment, it was true he had picked up on the American accent much faster than even he thought he would. It was a drastic difference from the proper English he'd been taught in Denmark, but all the same he like speaking lazily and people still understand him. Shaking his head Riku went for his room.

Opposite from Sora's door he could hear the younger man rustling through his belongings. At least he kept the messier part of him in his own room and not scattered throughout the house. Riku began digging through his closet trying to decide what he wanted to wear. Finally he decided on a simple pair of cargo shorts and a sleeveless t-shirt. The shirt was white and the shorts were black. He grabbed a fresh pair of boxers and a towel and was about to leave when he noticed a curious box on his bed. Curling his eyebrow he approached.

The box was wrapped in plain dark blue paper with a large green bow on top. It was longer than it was wide by about three times. Scratching his head he opened the box slowly, neatly. Opening the box he found another box and a card. Opening the card he smirked at the handwriting. In Black crayon it read:

"Saw this the other day and thought of you. Don't get the wrong impression I just couldn't help myself. :P

-SORA"

Now he was a bit concerned. Sora got gag gifts all the time for him. Usually it was lingerie or novelty soda, just anything to poke fun at him. It didn't bother Riku and on occasion he kept what the younger male got him. So with only a slight hesitation he opened the inner box and immediately began laughing. It was a vibrator. A massive one, 12 inches long and 3 in girth. Riku tossed the box back on his bed and tore the toy from its wrappings. Striding to Sora's room his burst in. Sora stood nude and blushed deeply when he saw Riku.

"Suggesting something?" Riku feigned innocence as he held the toy in both hands. He smirked as Sora shuddered and gave a look of disbelief.

"No. I-uh was...just messing with you..." Sora was taken aback. He never expected such a reaction out of Riku and to have his own joke turned back on him like that, well that was just mean.

"You sure? I have lots of lube it'll go in." Riku smirked making Sora all the more uncomfortable.

"No! That thing would tear the hell out of me! And you know I'm not gay!" Sora shot defensively.

"Oh, yes. Just odd that you said that second. Shame though I was talking about putting it in my ass." Riku laughed, as Sora made a face of terror, shock, disgust and perhaps arousal? He left the brunette alone and returned to his room. He thought about discarding the toy but got a sudden tinge of whimsy and placed it in his shoulder bag with a devious smirk. Collecting his belongings he proceeded to the bathroom and ran his shower.

Meanwhile, Sora stood still recovering from the shock of Riku's antics. The thought of the pair actually using the toy continuously popped into his mind no matter how hard he tried to crush them and he found a familiar heat spread throughout his body. Furiously he made himself think of beaches, mountains and swimming to calm himself down and relax. Sighing dejectedly he forced the heavy set blush from his face. Calming back down he suddenly felt shameful and quickly got dressed in a pair of tan cargo pants and blue t-shirt. Using his dirty clothes he cleaned up his mess and quickly vacated the room.

Silver hair clinging to his face Riku stepped out of the shower and dried off, Riku dressed and combed his hair. Walking from the bathroom to his room he collected his shoulder bag and checked his watch.

'Two more hours.' He thought to himself and headed back to the living room. Plopping down on the couch he put on a pair of walking shoes and rubbed his left knee. He could hear Sora curse softly at his project in frustration though he knew he was being much too hard on himself.

"You ready?" Riku called and a clamor filled the air and Sora appeared in the doorway.

"Hell yes!" Sora cackled. He practically threw Riku out the front door before locking it and leaving himself.

"Okay. Calm down. Where we goin'?" Sora fell into pace next to Riku which was a bit difficult for the brunette since he was only 5'6" and Riku was 6' and had longer legs but still the younger man did so. He noticed several people gawk at them and even a few openly ogling them from afar. He knew they looked like they were together to some people and a part of him did have to admit that they would make a cute couple, but he wasn't into guys, at least he endlessly reiterated that to himself.

"There's this Italian place I heard about. La Pearla I think. Their supposed to have delicious stuff. What do you think?" Sora put his hands behind his head and waited for the older males reply.

"Actually, that's where I had in mind anyway. So it all works out. Tell me something though. Does it make you uncomfortable to be out and about with me?" Riku inquired a tad concerned about their earlier exchange in Sora's bedroom.

"No. I don't give two shits what other people think. It's just I don't bat for that team y'know. And it kinda freaked me out. I was just screwin' with ya." Sora attempted his explanation and noticed Riku frowning. Sora's face contorted into concern that he'd just offended his friend.

"I know you don't. I was messin' with you too. It was just weird that you got me something that intimate. It's something that I might actually make use of in the future you know. And for the record I'm bi, we've gone over that." Riku shot with mock anger. Sora laughed in relief and a number of people gave them lewd smirks as they overheard their conversation.

"You brought it with you didn't you?" Riku feigned hurt but gave a slight nod and a wink anyway. Sighing Sora gave the taller male a playful shove.

"What can I say go big or go home." Riku whispered snickering.

"Wow. Anyway. Thanks again for everything." Sora changed the subject adeptly.

"Hey, it's no problem."

"I guess, but it still means a lot to me."

"I know. Just don't become some judgmental asshole to me about my lifestyle."

"I won't. My brother's gay and proud of it. Why would I judge you?"

"People do. Whatever their reasons, they do. Not like I can help the fact that I like boobs as much as I do cock."

"We both know you like guys more."

"That's aside from the point."

"Not really."

"Okay, fine. I like guys in me frequently and my dong in a girl occasionally. Better?"

"Yep!"

"Anyway, I need to see professor Gast first. I have something to ask him about the paper we're supposed to write over summer."

"Damn professors love their summer work."

"Well, at a job there is no summer vacation."

"Yeah, but I'm not at a job."

"That's true. Do you have any weed?"

"Nope. All out. Say how do you have the money to afford the rent, food and everything else?"

"Even I have my secrets."

"Okay, that's fair. But why would you do this? I mean, we didn't know each other before hand."

"I just had a good feeling about you. And a ragging boner."

"Do you always think with your dick?"

"Only about half the time. What? You're not flattered?"

"'Course I am. If guys want to sleep with me then that must mean I am a sexy beast."

"Aw, you're so cute."

"Why are you sayin' it like that? God."

"Well its true."

"Yeah, but you don't have to say it all girly like that!"

"No. But it makes you laugh."

"True."

The pair made good time getting to the University of Oregon campus and were glad for the numerous shade trees that had lined the sidewalk on their way since the day was fast becoming hot. As they moved to cross the street they could hear the sound of a horn blaring and instinctively dove back as a massive silver and black pick-up roared past. They had ended up flat on their backs on the sidewalk but instantly Sora was up and shouting.

"Hey, you dumb motha fucker! Come back here! Fuckin' prick! I outta kick your ass!" Sora's shouting was cut short when the pick-up screeched to a halt and began reversing. Cars darted around the behemoth honking and shouting. Taking his cue Riku grabbed Sora's arm and raced across the street to the campus and disappeared from sight.

"Jesus Christ that was close!' Riku panted.

"Whatever. I could take 'em." Sora grumbled as they walked through the grass toward the large gray building where Professor Gast's office was. Riku kept looking back for any sign that they were being followed. Sora scowled at him.

"I'm not that used to confrontation. And what if it was more than one or they had a weapon?" Riku glared back at Sora.

"Then I'd be counting on you to have my back." Sora's voice was like venom.

"I know. I'm sorry. I just don't think it's worth it to be so worked up about it."

"Maybe you're right. It just pissed me off. And I got terrible impulse control." Sora sighed as he opened the double doors leading into the office building. It was devoid of people aside from the occasional staff member or student. The found Professor Gast's office on the second floor, just to the right of the staircase. Riku hesitated when he went to knock, he could hear the professor talking and he sounded panicked.

"What? They escaped? The security was insufficient?! The organization. How long? I was bitten. Damn. We have to evacuate! Yeah, fuck you too!" The sound of a phone being thrown across the room echoed down the hallway and the duo become nervous. Sora pulled Riku's arm in an effort to drag him back down the stairs but Riku shrugged him off and knocked anyway.

"Come in." Gast snapped. Riku opened the door slowly and stepped in. The professor looked tired, his brown eyes were blood shot and heavy bags hung underneath. His face was twisted in both pain and horror. His white lab coat was covered in blood and a mysterious black substance. His eyes widened in shock at seeing the two young men.

"Professor I need to-"

"Get out!" Gast cut him off. Riku stared in confusion.

"Look, something terrible is happening and you don't have much time. You need to get as far from hear as you can. You need to move quickly and carefully."Gast rambled off hurriedly. He began shaking and sweating uncontrollably. Riku approached the professor and was immediately punched in the face. He heard the crunch of his nose breaking and his sight blurred as tears welled up.

"I'm sorry about that. But you need to listen. We tried to play God one too many times. Now it's out. The subjects have escaped and it is beginning." Gast continued as he rifled through his desk.

"What's happening?" Sora blurted.

"The end." Gast sighed as he located the item he was searching for. He lifted the revolver to the side of his head and cocked the hammer. The pair went wide-eyed unsure what to do.

"Here's more bullets." Gast placed a box that clattered softly on the desk.

"Take my pistol after I'm done. Riku you were my favorite student in all my years of instruction. I wish you the best." The massive thunder that followed made the two's ears ring. They were coated in blood and brain matter. The professor was slumped to the side his hand clutching the revolver. Riku began hyperventilating and had to steady himself against the wall. Sora almost coldly snatched the revolver from the dead professor's grasp and pocketed the box of ammo. Stuffing the revolver in his waistband he grabbed Riku and gave him a shake.

"We have to go!" As if on cue they hear a blood curdling, gurgling screech. A moment later they heard screams from ordinary people and frantic pleas. Peering out the window in Gast's office Sora could see what appeared to be corpses attacking people, they were tearing flesh from the bone and eating it.

"Riku. I hate to say it, but you know those zombie games you like so much?" The silver haired male gave a nod and his eyes widened in dread.

"You don't mean?" Riku whispered tears still draining from his eyes.

"Yeah, I do. Now let's go!" Sora shoved Riku out the door and grabbed his arm and raced down the stairs. Riku was in shock and went along without much resistance. The pair were met at the bottom by a zombie at least 7 feet tall and built like a bear, the instant it saw them it screeched piercingly. Sora struggled to retrieve the revolver as the zombie started up the stairs. Before he could though, the zombies head burst open and it flopped to the ground.

"Hey, who's down there?" Sora called. From down the hall a blond male emerged. He was large with a bit of muscle tone but it was clear that he was no athlete. He had a thin beard on his face and his green and yellow eyes regarded the pair harshly. His hair was kept short and his face was squarish but not excessively so. Sora decided that if it wasn't for his scowl and general girth he would likely be fairly handsome, possible a good match for Riku. He placed his gun in the waistband of his jeans and adjusted his black t-shirt.

"You're the two assholes that jumped out in front of my truck!" The blond shouted, glaring at Sora. Sora was taken aback and felt a twinge of fear run up his spine.

"Sorry about that." Riku spoke quickly.

"Yeah, I guess its alright. Anyway we'd better go. Follow me." The blonde motioned and disappeared down the hall, Sora and Riku in tow. The raced through the halls of the building before coming to the front entrance. Opening the door the blonde rushed out looking about.

"Where the hell are we goin'?" Sora called. Riku was running unaided and seemed to have gotten over his shock. Sora retrieved his revolver deciding it would be better to have it ready.

"My truck. Then my house." Came the reply as the crossed the street and located the monster in the parking lot. It had the Dodge symbol on the grill and 'Power Wagon' on the sides in front of the doors. It had a roll bar and a massive rolled steel bumper with five large halogen lights. The paint was chipped and coming off, rust also covered many parts of the truck.

"Like it. Fixed it up myself. Should'a seen it when I got it." The blonde bragged jokingly. He unlocked his door and leapt in. The distinctive click signaled that the passenger side was unlocked as well. Riku climbed his way in first and had to help Sora up since the truck was so tall. Slamming the door shut the blonde started the power wagon. It roared to life and with a lurch it exploded through the parking lot and onto the street heading east.

"How old is this thing?" Sora asked. The panels were faded, the gauges were outdated to say the least and there were cracks in the vinyl seating. The floor boards were dirtier that could be described and he felt like a hobo just siting in it.

"It's an '81. Would'a liked to fix it up more but that's not gonna happen now. But man, feel that V-8 power!" The blonde chucked nonchalantly. He Dodge revved past other smaller vehicles with ease. And one unfortunate car that didn't move in time was smashed in the rear and spun out of control.

"Oh, I'm Will by the way. Will or William any way. Call me Bill, Billy or Willy and I throw your asses out of my truck." The blond smirked with a combination of joking and daring. Sora had to chuckle at that.

"I'm Riku this is Sora." The silverette managed before they made a hard right to avoid a city buss that was tipping over. As they passed they could see it completely inundated with zombies. A thumping sound resounded above them and before they could react a zombie was clawing at the passenger window. Will adeptly ran swerved to the right and knocked the zombie off on another truck.

"Good to meetcha. Either of you know how to shoot?" Will asked as he stomped on the brakes to change directions. They were now heading through oncoming traffic since the other lanes had become blocked with an over turned tanker. It wasn't carrying fuel of any kind that much Riku knew since the liquid that was coming out of a giant gash in the steel was steaming as soon as it hit the air.

"I can a little." Sora said solemnly. Riku stared at the shorter male to his right and saw his bright blue eyes darken and his face contorted with anger. Riku smiled softly at the brunette and Sora seemed to relax a bit.

"That's good. Guess we'll have to teach Snow White here." Will teased. Riku whipped his head back to the driver who was laughing. Sora began chuckling as well.

"And what, is that supposed to be a jab about me being gay?" Riku shot.

"Bi." Sora added laughing harder. Will was laughing so hard that his eyes were tearing and he nearly hit a sedan head on and decided it was time to get back over into the east bound lanes, so he did.

"Nah. You do look like you are though. I was just givin' ya crap for being a metro." Riku softened his expression and smiled. Another thumping sounded and a zombie slid from the roof tot he hood and began smacking the windshield. Almost instinctively Sora shot the creature in the head through the glass. Earning a far reaching high five from the driver. The three drove across a bridge and passed a curious statue that Riku supposed was supposed to look like a horse and rider.

"I'll miss you Addi." Will called dramatically earning raised eyebrows from his passengers.

"What? Best goddamn pancakes in town. And you only need one!" Will spoke without looking. In the rearview mirror he could see a massive pile up on both the bridges leading into and out of Eugene and the hoard of zombies that massed like locusts.

It was a quick drive to Will's house and the trio had fallen into an awkward silence. Turning onto a side road that was several feet higher than the main road startled Sora who seemed to have zoned out. Will let the Dodge idle down the road until he came to a small, gray, one story house and whipped in the gravel driveway and halted with an unintentional skid.

"Well, we're here." Will sounded and threw open his door. Riku followed him out and Sora exited his side. Will then leaned the back of the bench seat forward and reprieved a pump-action shotgun. Riku and Sora both went wide-eyed. Will next reached underneath his seat and pulled out a hatchet and motioned for the pair to follow him. They made sure to shut the doors.

"Do you always have those with you?" Riku asked perplexed.

"Yep."

"You never got caught with 'em?" Sora butted in.

"Nope. I'm not some dumb sumbitch who flails 'em around thinkin' they make me a tough guy. But they are nice to have in a bind. Hold this." Will handed Riku the hatchet so he could dig his keys from his pocket. Opening the door he stepped inside and noticed the pair behind him was hesitant.

"What? You scared of me?"

"It's not that. It's just..." Sora trailed off unsure of what to say.

"What's the plan?" Riku blurted. Will considered this for a moment.

"We hold up here for a few days. Let the outbreak burnout before we try to find other survivors." Will set the shotgun just inside the door, leaning against the wall.

"What about my brother? He's at OSU." Sora demanded.

"Then you better call him and tell him to get the hell outta there while he can." Will shot back.

"How do we keep the zombies from finding us? I mean they always-" Riku's nervous ramble was cut short by Will's hand covering his mouth.

"I got a mixture I came up with. See back in the cold war the CIA and KGB would take and stuff info drops in dead mice and drop 'em at a location. Trouble was that cats, owls and other critters would come along and eat 'em. So they started dabbin' a bit of tabasco sauce on the mice and funny enough the critters kept away. I figure if I beef up the recipe it'll keep zombies away. Works on dogs, bears and cougars." Will shrugged as he entered the garage to his left. He appeared a moment later with a jug, a small glass bottle and a larger one, and a handheld, two gallon sprayer.

"What is all that?" Sora asked.

"Concentrated vinegar, hot sauce made from bhut jolokia, the hottest pepper on earth, and olive oil to thicken the mix and make it not evaporate so quick. Last time I tested it, it was good for nine days." Will chuckled amused. Pouring the ingredients in he sealed the container and shook it in his hands.

"Okay. We're banking on this working right?" Sora asked not convinced.

"Well, this and not being loud or dumb as a post." Will shot back.

"We are so dead." Riku muttered.

"If you give up without even tryin' you sure are." Will growled.

"Fine. Is there anything you want us to do?" Sora asked feeling uncomfortable standing in the doorway.

"There's a sheet of 3/4 inch plywood in each of the rooms that we'll be drilling up later just to fortify the place a bit. Other than that get cleaned up, rested up and make yourself at home. I already let my buddy know what's up so he'll be here later. Now git!" Will motioned into the house and the pair wandered into the small living room. The sky blue walls and dark blue carpet went together surprisingly well. There was a love seat, a chair and a recliner which were medium shades of brown, neither of the two understood this. To their right was the kitchen and bathroom.

"Guess I'll take a shower. Haven't had one all day." Sora grumbled.

"Aren't you going to call Roxas?" Riku asked worriedly.

"After. I need to clean. You should get rid of those clothes, I'm tossing out mine." Sora advised as he kicked off his shoes and closed the bathroom door behind him. Riku found himself wandering around the house he counted three small bedrooms and one back room that was locked. The kitchen did happen to have a small mirror so he washed his face and popped his nose back into place with a loud crunch.

"Goddamn it!" Riku shouted. As the pain subsided he could hear Sora talking quietly to himself and smirked softly. He remembered that he needed to take his medication and dug the six prescription bottles from his bag. Taking his pills with a tall glass of water he found himself bored and oddly aroused. Walking back into the living room he noticed an open pack of double AA batteries on the table next to the recliner and smirked to himself. Grabbing the pack he headed for the nearest bedroom. Entering the room small, green room he discarded his shoes by the foot of the queen sized bed which took up most of the room. His shirt and shorts found their way to a corner for later disposal. He locked the door and crawled onto the bed.

Staring at the white celing Riku felt the familiar heat wash over him. It wasn't the heat of sexual desire but of fear. Breaking out into a cold sweat he began shaking and fighting back tears. He could see the black-cloaked man, feel his touch and hear his taunts. Darkness formed at the edges of his vision and he knew that sleep would bring terror.

"Riku you better not be jackin' off in my room!" He heard Will call through the house. He immediately tensed as he heard heavy foot falls sound through the kitchen. He heard a sigh as the recliner gave a soft groan. Riku cringed and let out a soft, yelping sob. Just then the door flew open and there stood Will smug smirk on his face.

"I think you took that 'make yourself at home' thing a bit to literal. But hey, whatever. " Will shot smirking.

"Sorry I just needed to lie down. Sora asks me about it too, he worries you know?" Riku squeaked thoroughly embarrassed. Will laughed.

"You two together?"

"No."

"Shame. You two would make a cute couple." Will exited closing the door behind him, leaviing Riku wondering how he opend the locked door to begin with. He felt a bit more at ease as he lay on the bed. He felt fatigue wash over him, he didn't fight it instead allowing himself to be taken by it.

Sora towled off and put on his boxers. Removing his phone from his discarded pants he opened the contacts and called Roxas' number. The line rang five times before it picked up, after thirty seconds of static and quited shuffling a familiar voice spoke:

"Sora. Thank god. You okay? What's happening? Where are you?" Roxas whispered hurriedly. Sora was taken aback by the sudden assault of questions and hesitated a moment.

"I'm fine. Are you ok?" Sora finally managed.

"Yeah. Me and Axel are at the campus. We're headin' out to his brother Reno's place. Supposed to be some compound. Anyway..." Roxas trailed off and Sora heard a husky voice whisper something incoherant.

"Well it's a zombie outbreak and I'm guessing it's national. And I'm at Will's house, he's a guy me and Riku met at the campus when the outbreak started. He saved us." Sora sighed.

"So you're going to strange men's houses now?" Roxas teased his brother. Sora frowned intently.

"It's nothing like that you brat! Just stay safe. We'll come up that way, I'll make sure of it." Sora spoke derterminedly. Roxas laughed lightly on the other end of the line and Sora smiled softly.

In his recliner Will could hear every word of Sora's conversation. He tried to tune it out but he found himself listening anyway. Sipping a Sam Adams Boston Lager he took the pistol out of his waistband. Staring at the squarish, silver pistol Will grabbed a white tipped cigar from the coffee table next to his chair and lit it up. Inhaling deeply he blew a heavy cloud of smoke out his nose.

"Glock 17. Not bad." He muttered to himself. Turning the pistol over in his hands he put under his chin pointing up.

'Five point five pounds of preassure.' He thought to himself squeezing. A metallic click filled the air. Working the slide the previous round ejected and clattered on the coffee table. Another click, then another. In less than a minute Will had cycled through all 16 rounds that were int he magezine and sighed annoyed.

'Well this is going to get interesting. Guess the only thing to do is wait for Zack." Will stared at his phone for a moment. He heard Sora finishing up his conversation, saying his goodbyes. Collecting the ammuniton Will reloaded the Glock's magezine. When the door opened and Sora walked over to the kitchen Will shot him his signature grin as if nothing had happened.

'Best they don't know.' Will thought flicking the ash from his cigar into his now empty beer bottle.

A/N: So there is chapter one. Hope you all like it. I admit there was a bit more lewdness than I had originally intended but I think that it adds to the realism. Anyway please Read and Review.


	2. Scars

**Chapter 2:**

**Scars**

A/N: From what I was able to gather the previous chapter was at least decent so that's good. This one is going to set up a bit more of the character relationships. By the way the recipe that Will uses at the start of this chapter is one I came up with. :P

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy or any characters used therein. The character Will does belong to me however.

Warnings: Blood, Gore, Violence (duh), Sexual Situations, Sex (Possibly), Offensive Language, Nudity, Torture, Objectionable Political Views, Rape (Implied) and Dark Humor.

Pairings: Zack Fair x Aerith Gainsborough (Found the right spelling for Aerith's name). That's it for chapter 1 and 2, I'll expand the list as the story progresses.

Summary: The group remains in hiding and prepares to move in two days time. Secrets bubble to the surface and tension in the group starts to occur.

Special Thanks: The Critic League forum for giving me advice on summary writing and pointing out flaws in the previous chapter. And to Jade-Eyed-Jinchuriki for your support.

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Will sat fidgeting with his Glock. He heard Sora in the kitchen digging through the cupboards and fridge in search of something to eat. The brunette grumbled irritably, he couldn't find anything that really spoke to him, saying "Eat me! Eat me!". Dejectedly he grabbed a box of Chex from atop the fridge and tossed the half gallon of milk on the table.

"You don't want that do you?" Will stood in the archway of the kitchen. He was clutching his empty beer bottle, flicking cigar ash into the mouth. Sora gave the blonde a quizzical stare and eyed him. He stood about 5'10 and was probably 260 pounds or more but Sora noticed the suppressed emotion in Will's eyes. He couldn't make it out clearly and he had almost missed it, Will was good at hiding his true thoughts that much Sora knew and he adjusted himself uncomfortably.

"Couldn't think of anything else. Not like I'm a chef or anything." Sora grumbled taking the plastic cap of the milk jug. Will strode to his side and replaced the cap on the jug. Discarding his cigar in the beer bottle he walked past and opened the back door and threw the bottle over the back fence. He turned back to Sora with a grin.

"I can cook a bit. Sit down I'll make some of my famous peach and orange chicken." Will motioned to the wooden chair Sora had already half pulled out. Will grabbed a large sauce pan and turned on the stove. Reaching into a cupboard above the Will grabbed a bottle of olive oil. Will took a knife from the counter top by the back door and a cutting board and grabbed a large bowl from the fridge. He began cutting the chicken breasts up into roughly one inch squares.

"Peach and orange? Never heard of it. This something you came up with?" Sora asked watching intently. He got a nod from Will and smirked. Will washed his hands and added the olive oil to the sauce pan. Grabbing two medium size bowls Will filled one halfway with flour and the other with and egg and milk; whisking them together. Will grabbed a deep-fryer from underneath and the inset shelves near the living room and turned it on to 375 degrees.

"You could talk more y'know." Sora tapped his fingers impatiently as he watched Will add minced garlic to the saucepan, the aroma radiated through the house and Sora found himself salivating. Grabbing a jar of peaches Will poured about half the liquid into the pan which emitted a loud hiss and Will stirred the mixture vigorously with a wood spoon.

"Talk about what? How you're hiding something?" Will shot back zesting two oranges and squeezing the juice out. Sora frowned deeply anger bubbling to the surface.

"You don't know shit about me! So don't sit there and think you do. Not like you're not hiding something too!" Sora shouted. He didn't care if Riku heard them argue, this was a personal attack on his character after all. Will paused a brief moment and added a touch of cumin, salt, black and red pepper, and ginger to the pan and mixed it in.

"Mind stirring this for me?" Will asked completely unaffected by Sora's outburst. Sora was dumbfounded, he had expected Will to yell back maybe even hit him, but he simply walked past the brunette and started dredging the chicken.

"You're right I don't know a damn thing about you. But I do know what pain looks like. When you said you could shoot, you had this look of guilt and hate on your face. I just wanted to know what it was about." Will replied calmly and began adding chicken to the fryer. Washing his hands again Will stood by the sink barely an arm's length from Sora.

"That's not something I want to talk about. It's in the past and it's gonna stay there." Sora spoke coldly. Will raised an eyebrow, but hesitated to say anything.

"The past never stays there. It'll come back to bite you on the ass. So the sooner you 'fess up the easier it'll be. Don't want to find out you're a rapist or somethin' in the middle of a life and death situation." Will sighted cracking his neck. Sora mixed the contents of the saucepan slowly, methodically his anger slowly building.

"Same goes for you. What are you hiding? You could be a terrorist. Hell, you coulda started all this!" Sora accused, though he knew he was being ridiculous. Will crossed his arms and inhaled deeply.

"Touche." Will breathed at length. Sora shot him a look of confusion but didn't say anything.

"We got our secrets. All of us. It's just better for the group as a whole for everyone to trust each other. Hard to do when we're all carrying baggage. But then again, I can't make the rest of you share your secrets and not share mine. I'm not ready to do that with you or Riku yet. So I won't ask you to do the same. Anyway-". Will was cut off by a soft rapping at the front door. Will snatched his Glock from his waistband and motioned for Sora to follow. Another knocking, the heavy metal door thudded hollowly.

"Who is it?" Will demanded firmly. There was a pause.

"It's me jackass." Came the reply. A tad more depth emanated from the voice suggesting it was and older male. Will opened unlocked the door and sure enough there was a tall black haired male standing on the porch. Spiked hair reached into the sky and blue eyes regarded Sora curiously. The man was dressed in a black leather jacket, black t-shirt, blue jeans and boots. He was a about the same height as Riku but quite a bit broader and thicker.

"You gonna let me in?" The male asked.

"No." Will shot unfazed. The male pushed past him and headed for the living room.

"Not the time to be an ass." The male grumbled plopping on the couch. A moment later a slender brunette woman entered nodding respectfully to Will she followed the male to the couch. Her mahogany hair was tied back with a red ribbon, leaving bangs hanging. She wore a white lag coat and khaki slacks. She had a large shoulder bag with her.

"Sora. This is Doctor Aerith Gainsborough and her a-hole fiance Zack Fair." Will indicated unceremoniously. Sora waved to the pair and Zack rose and snatched his hand in a vise-like handshake. Sora nearly cried out when Zack grabbed his hand but he squeezed back as hard as he could anyway.

"Firm shake. Good to meet ya." Zack chortled. Sniffing the air Zack made his way into the kitchen.

"You making peach and orange chicken?" Zack asked excitedly. Will crossed his arms and glared at the older male.

"That's a yes! I'll leave it be." Zack held up his arms in surrender and made his way back to the couch. Sitting with a sigh Zack stared at the Sora expectantly.

"What?" The brunette asked.

"Never seen you before. When did you meet Will?" Zack asked shrugging out of his jacket. Aerith shifted slightly.

"Like two hours ago at the UO campus." Sora supplied sitting in the recliner. Will went back to the kitchen secretly glad that no one was bothering him while he was cooking anymore.

"And he invites you into his house just like that?" Zack asked incredulously.

"Well, we were there when the outbreak started and he found us and told us to follow him." Sora explained. Zack eyed him a moment then laughed.

"Sounds like Will. Tryin' ta be the hero." Zack teased.

"Up yours, Fair." Will called from the kitchen. A sweet aroma of peach filled the house and Sora became concerned.

"Hey, won't the zombies be able to smell this stuff?"

"Trust me, you couldn't smell a fresh pile of dog shit if your nose was buried in it out there. That pepper mix crap he talked about using overpowers everything. Only thing you can smell is pepper and vinegar." Zack concluded. Sora sighed in relief. Behind him he heard a door squeak open and the soft padding of bare feet on carpet. Turning to look behind the chair Sora watched a very nude Riku hobble to the kitchen.

"Damn, Will! You open a brothel recently?" Zack teased.

"Yep. Got a special deal goin' too: buy one get one half off." Will shot back laughing.

"Um...Riku you should get dressed." Sora stifled his laughs with his hands though he felt a peculiar heat move through his body. Aerith sat silently shaking her head at Zack's antics, a small smile gracing her light pink lips.

"Hm? S'okay. I got my own cookies." Riku mumbled, shuffling to the table and sitting on the hard wood chair with his back to the living room. He began playing with his hair, braiding it along the side of his face. Will set a mug of fresh coffee in front of him.

"Is that chocolate milk?" Riku asked childishly. Sora rose concerned for his friend. Placing a hand on Riku's shoulder he found himself immediately in a tight embrace.

"I looked everywhere for you!" Riku called only inches from Sora's face. A quick slap from Will rattled the silverette. Clutching his head Riku wobbled to his feet with a groan.

"What the hell just happened?" Riku asked in wonder. The other four stared at him. Exchanging looks Will and Sora sat Riku back down in the chair. Sora felt Riku's forehead for a fever but he felt normal.

"You came out here actin' like a stoned male hooker." Zack chortled from the couch. Receiving a glare from both Will and Aerith he quickly quieted himself.

"Oh. That happens sometimes. It's my medicine. Side-effects, just needed a bit of a smack to reset." Riku supplied sipping his coffee.

"What medicines?" Aerith asked now at Riku's side. The silverette was flush with embarrassment and dreaded to answerer. He knew what it would mean if he told the group what he was taking. He looked down ashamed and Aerith put an hand on his shoulder motherly.

"Listen, I'm a doctor, if you're not comfortable sharing in front of everyone we can talk in private." Aerith offered. Riku rose and headed back to the room he had occupied. He noticed a clean set of clothes in the corner where his soiled ones had been and dressed in them. White t-shirt and black cargo pants. Sighing he sat on the bed, a moment later Aerith appeared and shut the door behind him.

"I won't screw around with this." Riku began running his hands through his hair. Aerith nodded expectantly but did not pressure the male.

"I'm on Fluoxetine, Paroxetine, Sonata, Orap, Retrovir, and Combivir." Riku shook worriedly. Aerith took in the information for a moment then pursed her lips.

"Those are very serious medications. How long have you had-?" Riku held up his hand to halt Aerith, the doctor was accustomed to being cut off by patient and simply smiled softly.

"Please don't say it. Every time I take one of those pills it's like a kick to the balls, reminding me of how much of a fuck-up I am." Riku explained with a hollow voice.

"I see."

"It is a very strong strain."

"How long...?"

"Forty five days with the meds. I only have a two week supply for that though." Riku chuckled wryly. Another motherly touch from Aerith had Riku looking into her eyes the way a son would.

'I've never heard of these side-effects before.' Aerith thought to herself.

"How have you been hiding the symptoms? People should have noticed something."

"Sora suspects that something is up but he doesn't know. I've been using weed, methadome and oxycodone to mask the pain as much as I can. I got that stuff illegally though."

"I'm very sorry. I'll be sure to look for anything that'll help you."

"Thanks. Y'know...The reason that I wanted to befriend Sora was because he was alone when he got here too. I figured that two people who have nobody that really understood them would make great friends, maybe even more than that. I'm such an idiot."

"No. You've made mistakes. I believe that everyone can get a second chance if they really commit to changing. Miracles are real Riku, Zack and I know that from personal experience." Aerith smiled and gave Riku a soft hug.

"Don't worry this will remain between us. Doctor-patient confidentiality." Aerith whispered and left the room. Riku sighed heavily before exiting himself. Returning to the kitchen he found a plate of chicken with a brownish-orange glaze coating it. A large salad lay next to the chicken. Mysteriously, no one else was in the living room or kitchen. Shrugging Riku began eating, finding the chicken to have a sweet and spicy flavor but neither was particularly strong. They were subtle flavors that played with Riku's tastebuds. Riku smiled in enjoyment temporarily forgetting the painful topic from just a few moments ago.

The door to the garage opened and Will, Zack and Sora emerged. The oldest of the three held a long case in his hand and smirked as he talked to the other two. Will carried a large wooden box while Sora had a pair of duffle bags slung over his shoulders. The trio moved into the living room and placed their bounty on the floor. Riku quickly finished his meal as they began rustling through the containers, pulling out packs, gas masks, tactical vests, knee pads, elbow pads, face masks, tinted goggles, boots, and military style fatigues.

"Are we going to war?" Riku asked incredulously. The trio looked up at him and Zack gave a smirk of confidence.

"Technically, yes. Ultimately war is all about survival and we need the tools to survive, so..." Zack trailed off as he motioned with open hands to the gear that lay on the ground. Sora had begun assembling his ensemble from the mixed clothing, making sure he selected the appropriate sizes for his frame. Meanwhile, Will snatched up clothes intuitively, he knew exactly what clothes fit him.

"Here. They're size 12's." Will said as he tossed a pair of black, shiny boots to Riku who let them fall on the floor with a dull thud. Riku stared in shock for a moment and even Sora and Zack had stopped what they were doing to look at Will. The large male simply carried on nonchalantly.

"How the hell did you know my shoe size?" Riku demanded. Will shrugged.

"Lucky guess." Zack grabbed the blond by the shoulder and yanked him up. Will glared at the black haired man who simply scowled back.

"That's a damn good question. I didn't notice at first but there's five full outfits here. Masks, boots, vests, all of it. I know you got stuff to fit you, me, Aerith and Sora apparently. You got stuff to fit the pretty-boy?" Zack growled. It occurred to Riku that the two had not been properly introduced.

"I do."

"That ain't luck. You knew. How?" Zack cocked a fist ready to beat the information out of Will.

"My name is Riku Thorsen. I'm from Odense." Riku cut in abruptly. Zack looked at him confused and let Will out of his grasp. Zack scratched his head.

"What the fuck does that have to do with anything?" Zack asked now calm.

"We haven't been introduced and I really didn't want you to hit Will in the face." Riku gave a light chuckle as Zack regarded what he said for a moment.

"Name's Zack Fair. I actually come from Brooklyn. I's a Ranger for nine years til my knee got fucked over in a fire-fight in Afghanistan." Zack spat. He turned to glare at Will once more.

"I'm Sora Minamoto. Born and raised in L.A. I was just a regular kid." Sora laughed goofily making Riku and Zack laugh with him. Will remained silent his eyes fixated on Zack, anger surged through his veins and he did his best to suppress it. Aerith emerged from the garage a moment later carrying a large black bag around her shoulder.

"What's going on?"

"Oh, we're just introducing ourselves." Zack stepped over to plant a kiss on Aerith's cheek.

"Oh. Well, I'm from Anchorage, Alaska. Moved to Oregon to live with my father after the divorce and I always liked helping people so I became an ER surgeon." Aerith smiled brightly as she took her seat, setting the bag down.

"What's in the bag?" Sora asked.

"Medical supplies."

"So Will where are you from?" Riku asked. The mundaneness of the conversation distracted him from the overall disparity of the situation at hand. All eyes on him Will shut his eyes and gave a small scowl.

"William Alexander Ivankov. Lived here all my life. Son to murdered parents, brother to murdered siblings and uncle to murdered nieces." Will spoke coldly, deliberately. Riku hadn't seen this aspect of Will's personality, disconnected and guarded. True, they had only met recently. Still, Riku wouldn't have believed that Will could be this cold if he hadn't seen it for himself. Their earlier conversations had no hint of any animosity, anger or even negativity and to see this drastic a change in the blond sent chills down Riku's spine.

"Your middle name is Alexander?" Zack asked giggling, trying to lighten the mood. Will's eyes darted open and for the first time Riku saw Will's soul. His eyes had a dark green outer iris that became a golden color the closer to the pupil it got. In those eyes Riku saw hatred, guilt, fear, longing and pain. The others gave a jump at Will's sudden death-glare and sheepishly tried to change the subject. Riku looked straight into Will's eyes and Will looked back at his, a silent message rippled through the air. Riku didn't know what Will was communicating but he felt a part of him longing to know more about the blonde.

"Hey Will, why don't you go get the weapons?" Zack suggested after a few tense moments. Will looked to Zack and gave a slow nod. Will walked past Riku bumping into him in the process, Riku noticed a frown on Sora's face and that he was about to yell. Riku held up his hands to quiet Sora before he started something. On a whim Riku followed Will to the back room.

Entering behind the large blond Riku found the room to be a soft cream color. There were several posters of heavy metal bands on the walls. There was a large safe in the far right corner and a work bench next to it. There was a vise and equipment that is used for reloading ammunition affixed to the bench. A very uncomfortable looking plastic and metal chair was placed behind the bench. A stack of wooden crates lie between the safe and the bench.

"What is all this?" Riku breathed.

"My study." Will replied. Riku noticed that his voice was fatigued and strained.

"Well let's get to it then."

"That isn't why you came."

"No."

"You want to know how I knew."

"Yeah. It's troubling."

"I saw it. Years ago I saw all of this."

"What?"

"It's true. Why do you think I have so much shit. I prepared for what is to come."

"And what is to come?" Riku asked skeptically. He fidgeted with the hem of his shirt.

"Pain, terror, hate, forgiveness, love and so many other things I can't even describe."

"You see it all?"

"No. Bits and pieces. I wish I was just a normal guy like you lot. But I'm not. Never was, never will be. I can't escape my fate."

"Your fate?"

"You'll see for yourself soon enough."

"Still doesn't answer how you knew."

"I know. Best answer I have though. God I just want to sleep."

"When did you go to bed last night?"

"I didn't."

"Um...The night before?"

"No."

"When was the last time you slept?"

"November fifth," Riku pursed his lips and went to speak but Will continued,"of 2006." Will concluded opening the safe. He began placing weapons on the table. Riku recognized them, the distinct polymer construction, accessory rails, and black color gave them away as M-4 carbines, the sort used by the US military. Riku counted three of them. Then will set a larger weapon on the table it looked similar to the M-4's but was larger and enough of the shape was different for it to be a completely different weapon. An oversized AK-47 joined the others it's orangish wood stock and forestock standing out among all the black and blued steel.

"That's been eight years." Riku doubted aloud. Will placed several pistols on the bench before he turned to look at Riku.

"I know."

"How is that possible?"

"We all got secrets. Scars on our souls that refuse to heal. Maybe that's what this si all about, healing." Will thought vocally for a moment. Riku felt a tinge of guilt worm its way through his chest, he knew exactly what Will was talking about.

"I can't sleep. Not a wink."

"Sorry. If it makes you feel better I'll be dead in less than a month."

"You're sick." Will stated flatly. Riku felt the blood drain from his face. How this stranger could know his darkest secret he didn't know.

"Aerith didn't tell you."

"She didn't need to." Will whispered. Riku hung his head in shame. Unexpectedly he felt Will's strong arms wrap around his thinner frame. Riku returned the hug and let a few tears slide out of his eyes, but he didn't cry or sob. The pair stood like that for a few moments neither unsure of how to end the contact and at the same time wanting it to continue.

"You two butt-fuckin' back there?" Zack called from the living room. Riku walked past Will and scooped up an armload of weapons and walked back to the living room without another word. He placed the weapons on the floor in front of Zack who eyed them carefully.

"Got my M-4. Will's M-14. The Saiga, M-60, couple more M-4's and an M-203, that would be the grenade launcher for you kids that don't know." Zack sing-sang. He grabbed his rifle, it was painted with black, tan and greens, patterned after a tiger's stripes. It had a short scope and a vertical grip under the forestock. Zack extended the stock all the way out and checked the rifle's action.

"It's a good start." Zack stated. The three around him could only nod their agreement.

It was night now and Riku rolled restlessly in the bed he now shared with Sora. He was glad for the extra warmth and the company, especially since they were going to stay overnight and had spent the hours leading up to dusk putting a canopy on Will's dodge. It took all four males to get it on. Then came weapons distribution, Zack carried the M-4 and M-203 not trusting the rest of the group with such a dangerous weapon. Sora had gotten an M-4 as had Aerith. Will took the Saiga which was the oversized AK that was surprisingly a shotgun, and his M-14 rifle Riku had made note of the nicks in the wooden stock and the scratches on the barrel. He had the M-60, which was heavy, about 20 pounds when loaded as Zack had informed him. Aerith had tried to ask how they had acquired all this but Zack deflected the question with a vague answer about how he knew some people that helped him out.

Zack made it a point that everyone disassemble and reassemble their respective weapons including their sidearms in less than a minute. He showed them how and then made them. He corrected any errors they made in his usual casual manner. Riku had picked up on the workings of his M-60 fairly quickly, though he couldn't imagine actually using a belt-fed machine gun on a regular basis. Sora had decided to keep Gast's revolver but Will gave Riku his Glock saying that he got it off a dead campus cop. It had been Will who volunteer for first watch. That had been four hours ago, Riku knew Will wouldn't wake anyone else to relieve him.

Will could sense that Riku was awake as he sat in his chair. In the dark he held his father's M1911 pistol in his hand. The heavy pistol fit like a glove in his hand and he had long admired the slight angle to its grip and the stainless steel frame and slide. Will thought of his family long dead and sighed. Giving a glance over his shoulder he considered for a moment that this group may become his new family and that he had to protect them no matter what, which was why he had rigged the front and back doors with pipe bombs. In the event that something came through either door the explosives would go off, killing whatever came through and alerting the others, he hadn't told anyone but Zack what he did.

The metal door thudded hollowly. Will silently rose to his feet and readied his Saiga. Another thudding, someone was knocking on the front door. He heard hushed voices, panic lacing them. Will didn't move or say a word, he had no interest in letting them in. He felt a presence behind him and turned to find Riku standing curiously, he had grabbed his M-60 which by Zack's order was to be kept loaded at all times. Soon enough the other three filed out of their rooms to stand in the small hallway waiting.

"Let us in!" A deep voiced man shouted kicking the door. He was hushed by another man.

"Please, we have a child." They heard a woman plead, voice cracking. No one moved not even Aerith. Zack and Will had made it clear that they let no one in the house, no matter what. It didn't sit well with Riku or Aerith but they understood that the situation demanded they be cautious.

'Just go away.' Riku thought. They heard a loud metallic clanging.

"Open the fuckin' door or I'll break it in." The first man shouted. Will motioned everyone back. Three sets of eyes fell on Zack who nodded and motioned as well. The man had started counting down from three.

"You don't want to do that." Will called out quietly. The man stopped for a moment, but thinking the warning was a challenge he struck the door anyway. The first simply made the door ring almost like a bell, the second broke the top hinge.

"Get down!" Will and Zack shouted in unison before the third blow came. In an instant the room was filled with smoke and dust. A loud ringing resounded in the group's ears. Riku rose to his feet shakily, when he looked up he saw that Zack was yelling at him and pointing the gaping hole in the house. He never heard what Zack said but he assumed that he wanted Riku to use the machine gun so he did.

Zombies had started clamoring toward the house, the smell of gunpowder and dust masking the scent of pepper and vinegar. Riku began firing and immediately he was seized by something deep in his mind, memories flashed through blurrily. To his amazement he fired the M-60 not only accurately and to great effect but superbly, almost as if he had done this many times before. Sora and Aerith joined his side when a second explosion sounded at their rear knocking everyone to the ground. Riku sprang to his feet and fired on the zombies that now swarmed the back door.

"Time to go!" Zack shouted tossing Riku his pack. The group, packs in hand now raced outside. Aerith climbed in the passenger seat and Will moved to get in the driver seat, but was stopped by Sora.

"I'm a great driver. Got away from LAPD in a high speed chase. Let me. Trust me." Without hesitation Will handed over they keys to the smaller male then threw him into the cab of the vehicle. He climbed into the bed of the Dodge with Zack and Riku closing the tailgate behind him. Sora expertly flipped a u-turn in the small gravel driveway and ran over any zombie that was in his way as he maneuvered down the narrow street.

"Well, so much for the plan." Zack grumbled making Will chuckle darkly. Riku felt suddenly invigorated, as if he had been missing out on something. He stared at his hands for a moment not sure where his earlier skill had come from but he was glad for it.

"Funny thing about that..." Will trailed off as he watched the house he had grown up in burst into flame, denying the zombies occupancy. There was no turning back now, nowhere to go but forward. He just hoped that wherever that was it would be better than what he left.

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A/N: So here's chapter 2. It actually took longer to write than I had planned but that's good because I went from a chapter where the group just met and planned to a chapter where their troubles begin to permeate out so I hope everyone liked it. Thanks for reading.


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